(a) Submission of Motion. Notice must be served and filed with a motion. The notice must indicate the time of oral argument, or that the motion will be decided on briefs unless oral argument is timely requested. Upon serving and filing a motion, the moving party shall serve and file a brief and other supporting papers and the adverse party shall have 10 days after service of a brief within which to serve and file an answer brief and other supporting papers. The moving party may serve and file a reply brief within 5 days after service of the answer brief. Upon the filing of briefs, or upon expiration of the time for filing, the motion is deemed submitted to the court unless counsel for any party requests oral argument on the motion. If any party who has timely served and filed a brief requests oral argument, the request must be granted. A timely request for oral argument must be granted even if the movant has previously served notice indicating that the motion is to be decided on briefs. The party requesting oral argument shall secure a time for the argument and serve notice upon all other parties. The court may hear oral argument on any motion by telephonic conference. The court may require oral argument and may allow or require testimony on the motion. Requests for oral argument or the taking of testimony must be made not later than 5 days after expiration of the time for filing the answer brief.

(b) Failure to File Briefs. Failure to file a brief by the moving party may be deemed an admission that, in the opinion of party or counsel, the motion is without merit. Failure to file a brief by the adverse party may be deemed an admission that, in the opinion of party or counsel, the motion is meritorious. Even if an answer brief is not filed, the moving party must still demonstrate to the court that it is entitled to the relief requested.

(c) Extension of Time. Extensions of time for filing briefs and other supporting papers, or for continuance of the hearing on a motion, may be granted only by written order of court. All requests for extension of time or continuance, whether written or oral, must be accompanied by an appropriate order form.

(d) Time Limit for Filing Motion. Except for good cause shown, a motion must be filed in such time that it may be heard not later than the date set for pretrial of the case.

(e) Application of Rule. This rule does not apply to the extent it conflicts with another rule adopted by the Supreme Court.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Rule 3.2 was amended, effective September 1, 1983; March 1, 1986; January 1, 1988; March 1, 1990; January 1, 1995; March 1, 1997;_________________________.

The language of subdivision (a) does not prevent a court from adopting a local rule requiring that every motion be noticed for oral argument, if due allowance is made for a telephonic hearing.

Subdivision (a) was amended, effective March 1, 1990, to provide that the request for oral argument on the motion must be granted when the party requesting oral argument has timely served and filed a brief. This amendment clarifies the rule in accordance with Anton v. Anton, 442 N.W.2d 445 (N.D.1989).

Subdivision (a) was amended, effective January 1, 1995, in response to First Western Bank of Minot v. Wickman, 464 N.W.2d 195 (N.D.1990); Breyfogle v. Braun, 460 N.W.2d 689 (N.D.1990). Those cases provide that a written motion must be noticed, and that the notice must indicate that oral argument has been requested or that the motion will be decided on briefs unless oral argument is requested. In addition, the amendment shortens the time between the date a motion is filed and the date a motion may be heard by eliminating the five-day period within which the movant's brief could be filed.

What constitutes a brief should be liberally construed.

The period when intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays are excluded from a time computation was extended from 7 to 11 days, effective ______________________. See N.D.R.Civ.P. 6(a); N.D.R.Crim.P. 45(a); N.D.R.App.P. 26(a).